With four players averaging between 8.3 and 12.1 points per game, Fox girls basketball coach Matt Weber said he feels confident that at any point in a game, someone is capable of stepping up to make a big shot.
“That’s been a staple of our program the last two years here, that it’s not just one person,” Weber said. “We are a team, we’re team-oriented, and we have multiple scorers every game. It’s not going to be the same high scorer every game, and if it is, great, we’ll keep feeding the hot hand. We’ll just keep going with what works for us.”
But it’s defense that has worked particularly well for the Warriors this season, and that was the case at home on Jan. 17. Fox held Ritenour to 10 first half points (only one in the second quarter) to roll to a 56-30 win.
“Coach really emphasizes teamwork and working together, not playing selfishly, and we did a good job with that, especially on defense,” senior forward Lauren Duff said.
Fox improved to 7-4, while Ritenour lost to Mehlville the following night and dropped to 2-11.
In all seven of their wins, the Warriors have held their opponents to under 40 points; in the four losses, the other team scored at least 40.
“Defense is key for us,” Weber said. “We’re not just going to outscore everyone.”
Although Fox is certainly capable of putting points on the scoreboard, thanks to the quartet of senior guard Abbey Gierer (12.1 points per game), Duff (9.4), sophomore guard Minea Dervisevic (9.1) and senior guard-forward Sydney Adamec (8.3).
“It’s really important when we’re in the game and someone’s not doing as well, it’s important to know that your teammates can step up for you and pick up your shot,” Duff said. “It’s good to know that they have your back.”
All four players had their moments in the win over Ritenour. Adamec led all scorers with 16 points, while Gierer finished with 15, Duff scored 14 and Dervisevic added 9.
“They have plenty of options,” Ritenour head coach Robert Kennedy said.
“When Sydney’s hitting shots, she’s going to keep getting the ball. When Lauren’s hitting shots, she’s going to keep getting the ball. And it’s the same way with Minea and Abby,” Weber said. “Any one of them at any time can really take over a game.”
It took most of the first quarter before Fox took over against the Huskies. The teams traded baskets at the beginning, with a jumper from Ritenour senior Nature Frost tying the game 7-7 with just under three minutes remaining in the opening frame. Thanks in large part to the ballhandling of senior guards Trinity Lewis and Adreonna McGraw, the
Huskies were able to negotiate the Warriors’ full-court press.
“I think we came out kind of slow in the first quarter,” Duff said.
But a 3-pointer from Dervisevic jump-started the Warriors. Adamec followed with a steal and layup, and Duff later scored inside on a nice pass from Amelia Chapman to put Fox up 14-7 in the final minute of the quarter.
“I think we picked it up and we tried a few new things, and it seemed to be working,” Duff said.
McGraw scored on a layup with 10 seconds left to end Fox’s run and cut the lead to 14-9. Unfortunately for the
Huskies, the offense would sputter throughout the second quarter as they misfired on all six attempts while turning the ball over 10 times, by unofficial count.
Fox went away from the full-court pressure and primarily employed a half-court defensive alignment in the second quarter, which proved difficult for the Huskies to beat.
“If something isn’t working, you need to work together to find something that does,” Duff said.
“We really were just talking on defense more,” Weber said. “I think playing as a team and trusting each other, where everyone was supposed to be, getting to the right spots was key for us.
“Like most teams, we like to get out in transition and score, and that’s why we throw in a press like that, to pressure other teams. But when it’s not working, we’ll go for a minute here, a minute there, but we know what works best at that time, and falling back in the zone worked out for us.”
A 13-1 advantage in the second quarter gave the Warriors a 27-10 halftime lead, which they extended to 20 points on a 3-point play from Duff that made it 34-14 with just over 2:00 left in the third.
Gierer took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of Fox’s 18 points, eight of them coming on hard drives to the basket.
“Abbey turned it on really late there and found a burst of speed at the end of the game,” Weber said. “She’s learning at this point of the season that, through the course of the game, she sees what their defense is going to give her and what they’re not going to give her, and that’s why she usually scores so many fourth-quarter points.”
Following games at Festus on Tuesday and at home against Pattonville tonight (Thursday), Fox will next host McCluer on Feb. 1.